Articles by Dasha Gaian

Dasha Gaian is a photographer, translator, web developer, writer, and inspired explorer of inner and outer worlds. Born in Ukraine, she’s lived on four continents, making friends with the people of the world, photographing their daily lives, observing celebrations and spiritual traditions, learning various approaches to loving the herenow, and preserving our natural habitat. She is currently settled in Boulder, Colorado, with her beloved fellow adventurer and husband.

I grew up in a society deeply wounded by war. The USSR of my childhood was covered with monuments to war heroes. The culture was saturated with movies, books, and songs dedicated to the bravery of the Soviet soldiers defending their motherland. Every family was affected, as the USSR’s total death toll in World War…